Kirklees Machine Guns

The MG42 was developed as a successor to the MG34. The MG34, whilst being a highly capable multi-purpose machine gun, was too expensive and time consuming to produce during wartime.
The new machine gun would have many new pressed and stamped metal parts and after prototypes and tests the MG42 was born. Simplifying the production resulted in a considerable saving in the cost and the halving of production time per weapon.
The MG42 utilised the same bipod as the MG34. It had no single shot facility and the cyclic rate of fire was greatly increased. A new heavy tripod, the Lafette 42 (almost indiscernible from the Lafette 34) was designed for the weapon.
Calibre: 7.92x57mm
Length: 122cm
Weight: 11.6kg (32.1kg with Lafette 42)
Rate of fire: 1200-1500 rpm
Quantity produced: 415,000